Hard Cider Chicken with Bacon and Apples
Nov 07, 2025 10:07 AM
This Hard Cider Chicken pairs crispy chicken thighs, apples, and bacon with a creamy cider, Dijon, and herb mustard sauce. Fall comfort food at its best!
Given my penchant for everything “apple” this time of year, I always find myself making at least one pot of Chicken or Pork à la Normande (Normandy-style) before fall’s end. Served with a creamy Calvados sauce, it’s a delicious, warming dish that totally embodies the season.
Having explored the world of hard (fermented) apple cider more over the past few years, I’d been itching to use it as the base for a Normandy-inspired chicken dinner. Suffice it to say, it makes a delicious sauce.
In this recipe, crisp-skinned thighs meet tender apples, crispy bacon, and a creamy hard cider and mustard sauce, with herbs, and a splash of Applejack brandy for good measure.
It’s all at once smoky, herby, rich, and bright. These creamy chicken thighs have become one of our favorite fall chicken dinners.
Ingredients:
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 to 3-1/2 pounds), trimmed of excess skin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (approximate)
- 8 ounces thick cut bacon , cut into lardons
- 3 medium Fuji apples , peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges each
- ¾ cup chopped shallots
- 2 large garlic cloves , minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 12 ounces hard cider (dry or medium-dry)
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon grainy or "Old Style" mustard
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Applejack (apple brandy)
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
60 minutes
Total Time:
80 minutes
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